Kagemusha (1980)

Kagemusha (1980) A common thief, discovered to bear a striking resemblance to his feudal lord, is employed as a decoy to keep civil war from breaking out. Akira Kurosawa drew from the Sengoku period, based upon a history of Takeda Shingen, known for his military skills. Mortally wounded by a sniper, the lord requests that his death be kept a secret for three years, and the thief is forced to impersonate the leader. Playing both roles with subtle delight is Tatsuya Nakadai, who was cast in the film after the original actor quit at the end of the shoot. The film ends in the 1575 Battle of Nagashino, action that Kurosawa cut down to 90 seconds to create a spectacular horror of war.